Texas A&M coach Gary Blair directs his team during the first half of an NCAA college women's tournament regional semifinal basketball game against Maryland in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, March 25, 2012. Maryland won 81-74. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Photo: Gerry Broome, Associated Press

Texas A&M coach Gary Blair directs his team during the first...

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Maryland's Alyssa Thomas drives to the basket as Texas A&M's Karla Gilbert defends during the first half of an NCAA women's tournament regional semifinal college basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Photo: Gerry Broome, Associated Press

Maryland's Alyssa Thomas drives to the basket as Texas A&M's...

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Maryland's Laurin Mincy (1) reacts following a basket against Texas A&M during the second half of an NCAA college women's tournament regional semifinal basketball game in Raleigh, N.C., Sunday, March 25, 2012. Maryland won 81-74. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

Photo: Gerry Broome, Associated Press

Maryland's Laurin Mincy (1) reacts following a basket against Texas...

RALEIGH, N.C. – Texas A&M senior guard Sydney Carter, her voice quivering from having just played her final college game, spoke Sunday of the Aggies earning their opponents' undivided attention this season.

“We finally got the targets on our backs we were looking for since coach (Gary) Blair got here,” she said.

The Aggies had earned the marks courtesy of their national title, and mostly wore them well, in never blowing a lead of more than 11 points in a loss. Then came Sunday, when Maryland might as well have come equipped with bow and arrow, in twice splitting the Aggies from big leads in the Terrapins’ 81-74 triumph in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

“We were resilient against a talented Texas A&M team,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “I’ve been in the same situation with our team being the defending national champion, and it’s a difficult role.”

The third-seeded Aggies doubled up the second-seeded Terrapins 36-18 with seven minutes remaining in the first half, before Maryland clawed back and trailed 44-41 at halftime. A&M (24-11) then built an 11-point lead in the second half, before again crumbling late and allowing Maryland (31-4) to emerge victorious at PNC Arena.

The Terrapins will face top-seeded Notre Dame in the Elite Eight on Tuesday.

“I thought we were going to knock Maryland out of the game when we built those big leads,” Blair said.

Southeastern Conference-bound A&M played its final basketball game as a Big 12 member, and top assistant Vic Schaefer also coached his final game with the Aggies, after accepting the Mississippi State head coaching job two weeks ago. Blair and Schaefer have spent the past 15 years together at Arkansas and A&M.

“Most marriages don’t last 15 years, and Vic has been a brother to me,” said an emotional Blair, before adding with a grin, “Once he gets tired of Starkville – and it won’t take him long – hopefully he’ll be able to come back and take my (job).”

Blair, 66, quickly reminded that he intends to be at A&M for the foreseeable future, and his first job will be trying to figure out what went wrong in each half Sunday. Two big problems in the second half occurred on a slew of ill-timed turnovers (nine of 14 of A&M’s miscues occurred after the break), and A&M’s inability to keep aggressive Maryland from offensive rebounds.

“You’re not used to having to box out one through five,” A&M center Kelsey Bone said.

Maryland led 77-74 when A&M freshman Alexia Standish, who played an otherwise strong game, missed a wide-open 3-pointer from the right corner. Brene Moseley missed a layup on the Terrapins’ resulting possession, but Laurin Mincy grabbed the offensive rebound – Maryland’s 14th on the day – and Alyssa Thomas drained a short jumper to lift the Terrapins to a five-point lead with 51 seconds remaining.

The Aggies lose five seniors, including starters Carter, Tyra White and Adaora Elonu. Carter and Standish faltered at times late in each playing 40 minutes. Blair said it was especially difficult for Standish, as a freshman, to “stand up for others who are supposed to be doing their job.”

Standish scored a team-high 19 points, while White and Elonu combined for only a dozen points in their final college game.